CRUES BEAT SKY BLUES FOR A THIRD TIME
Crusaders completed a hat-trick of victories over Ballymena United with a 3-1 defeat of Jim Ervin's side at Seaview.
The visitors almost grabbed the advantage with the opening move of the game when Success Edogun played Kian Corbally through with less than 20 seconds on the clock but keeper Jonny Tuffey was alert to the danger to deal with the shot.
However it was Crues that moved in front on 14 minutes when a Jarlath O'Rourke corner came off the back post and into the net via United defender Conor Barr.
Declan Caddell's side doubled their lead midway through the first half through Jacob Blaney when he found himself in space to beat Sean O'Neill after another O'Rourke set piece had been touched on by Jordan Forsythe.
United hit back moments later after Forsythe brought down Andy Scott in the box, with Patrick McEleney stepping up to convert the subsequent spot-kick.
Chances were at a premium after the break, but the Crues did hit their third right at the end when O'Rourke cut inside to beat O'Neill.
Crusaders: Tuffey, Callacher, Lowry, Jewitt-White, Blaney, Forsythe, O’Rourke, Smith, Clarke, Boyd, Barr subs Brown, Weir, Stewart, Williamson, Larmour, O’Connor, Franklin
Ballymena United: O’Neill, Lafferty, Jarvis, Scott, O’Donnell, Edogun, Loughran, McEleney, Corbally, Barr, Idehen subs Johnston, Gawne, Moore, McMullan, McCurry, McCallion, Hood
Substitution 
Substitution 
